


A Hedgehog who can’t swim? That’s no good.

by NiyanaIsNotSane



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Pool, Slice of Life, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:55:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23128882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiyanaIsNotSane/pseuds/NiyanaIsNotSane
Summary: The Wachowski’s take a trip to the town’s community pool and Sonic learns the basics of swimming for the first time.
Relationships: Jojo & Sonic, Maddie Wachowski & Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog & Tom Wachowski, Tom Wachowski & Maddie Wachowski
Comments: 4
Kudos: 183





	A Hedgehog who can’t swim? That’s no good.

**Author's Note:**

> I was working on this for about a day and a half, I was up until midnight editing it. I’m really tired, but I’m glad I just got it done.  
> Hope you enjoy it!

Sonic kicked his legs back and forth excitedly as he sat in the back seat of Tom’s new Tacoma, staring out the window watching the power lines rush by.

Tom was in the drivers seat, his elbow out the window as he kept his eyes on the road while Maddie was going through her phone, her hair in 2 long french braids, humming along to the song playing on the radio.

Since it was getting near the end of the spring season, Tom and Maddie have been booked with working more hours while he’s been plagued with to what he considers, an illegal amount of homework so close to spring break.

Maddie had told him the day before that they were all going to a new place for the day, a place he hasn’t been to yet.

Ever since then, he was just going to town with questioning the couple on their new destination.

_‘This is the first time in awhile we’ve gone anywhere together on a Saturday, must be a real awesome place if i never seen it.’_ He thought as he started thinking of where they were going.

“Are we going to the park?”

“No”

“Oh, hooow about the skating ring?”

“Nope”

“Umm…Oh! Are you taking us to the baseball field?” He sat up in his seat, trying to see Tom’s face as he drove.

Tom made a buzzing noise as he kept his eyes on the road.

Sonic huffed as he plopped back against the seat. He looked up and titled his head to the side.“…..are you taking us to Olive Garden again?” He said in a deadpan voice.

Maddie stifled a laugh while Tom gasps, adjusting his rear view mirror to look at the pouting hedgehog. “Hey what’s with that tone? I thought you liked Olive Garden?”

“I mean I do! But like you _always_ get that never ending pasta bowl. They have other foods to eat you know.” He shrugged his shoulders as looked down at his sneakers.

“But that’s the thing about the never ending pasta bowl.” He glanced back at Sonic, taking his eyes off the road for a second.

“It never ends.” He turned back around, laughing to himself.

Sonic rolled his eyes at the poor joke. “Pfft well for you yeah, only because you can never finish the whole thing in one sitting.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault they made the food _Im-pasta-ble_ to eat.”

Maddie tightened her mouth in a straight line, shaking her head and glancing out the window while Sonic gave a unintended snicker behind his glove.

Tom’s head snapped up. “Was that a laugh I just heard?”

“No, it wasn’t.” He replied, muffled due to his hand covering his mouth.

“Then why are you smiling behind your glove?”

Dropping his hand quickly, he crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders. “I wasn’t smiling, i was making sure you didn’t hear that pity laugh.”

Tom held up a finger up. “Ah! so you admit it was a laugh then?”

“I….uggh ok fine it was.” He groaned, hitting his head against the seat.

Tom gave a small “yes” as he winked at Maddie.

Maddie smiled back at him and gave a small laugh. “You guys are so adorable.”

=======

Getting antsy, Sonic’s leg began bouncing out of impatience as they were getting near their destination.

“We’ve been in this car for so long! Are we there yet?”

Tom let out a chuckle. “It’s only been 15 minutes bud.”

“It feels like it’s been 15 hours! We’ve been driving for so loooonnng.” He laid down dramatically on his side, closing his eyes.

Maddie turned around, clutching his hand and shaking it to get his attention. “Well have you guessed where we’re going yet?”

He sat back up. “No, i absolutely have no idea where we’re going.”

“Well, you can stop guessing now cause we are now here.” Tom pulled into a parking space.

Due to his small stature, Sonic unbuckled and stood up on the seat to look outside.

What he saw was people, mostly kids walking towards a small brown building.

Only they were carrying fairly large bags, some were carrying long, colorful tubes, beach towels and chairs.

_‘Wait, are we at the-?’_

“Welcome to the Green Hills community pool!” Tom addressed with flair as he got out of the car, earning odd looks from some passing teens.

Sonic jumped down from his seat to the ground, shutting the door behind him. Tom went to the trunk to get their things while Maddie answered a call on her cellphone, walking away so he couldn’t overhear her conversation.

He glanced around at the groups heading inside, most were paying him no mind while only a few, mostly toddlers, would stare at him in fascination while they walked with their parents.

_‘Quite a lot of people are here today, it’s not even that hot out today.’_

Zipping over to the wire fence, he’s eyes widened at the sight before him.

“Oh sweet chimichanga.”

The area of place was a pretty big, whether that was due to his size or not was up to him,

The pool had about 2 slides around the length of the pool, a short, open blue slide and a tall, teal slide that formed a spiral to the water and a long diving board, which he saw a few people jumping and doing flips off it.

He looked over to where the lawn chairs were set up, there were more people sitting in the grass on towels rather than the chairs leaving a lot of open spaces, either reading, sunbathing, a few couples even making out underneath the trees.

“Ew, how do they even breath when they do that?”

He zipped back to truck where Tom was shutting the trunk, unloading the last of the bags.

“Ok that’s everything, here you can carry this one, it’s light enough for you.” He passes Sonic a small bag, which was filled with mostly towels and bagged lunches.

Maddie walked back over to them, face beaming as she put her phone in her purse.

“We all set?”

Tom nodded as he passed a bag to Maddie. “Yep, all ready to swim in cold, dirty water with random strangers.”

“Tom…”

“What? We basically are.”

“I know but I don’t want to think about that while I’m swimming in said water.”

“Just think of it like your taking a cold bath…..but using chlorine and with random people who are almost naked.”

“Oh my god Tom, please just stop.”

The hedgehog stifled his laughs as he walked behind them, before pausing with a look of confusion and slight disgust morphed on his face.

_‘Wait, is it really like that?’_

=======

“Ok close your eyes.”

Sonic obeyed as Maddie smeared some sunscreen on his face and muzzle, scrunching his face at the cold feeling and odd smell.

Sitting cross legged on the lawn chair, he started to rub at his face. “Ick, why do I have to wear sunscreen? I have fur all over my body.”

Maddie grabbed his hand. “Yeah but parts of your face doesn’t, so it could be more eligible to be sunburnt than the rest of your body.” She helped him spread the lotion around his eyes and face.

“Ugh does it have to smell so bad?”

“Better safe than sorry sweetie.” She shrugged as she got up, rubbing his head as she sat behind him.

He sighed as he laid back against her shoulder, watching his head quills from poking her.

“Who are you texting on your phone?”

“My boyfriend, Arnold.”

He shot up, shocked. “Your what?!?”

Laughing, she shook her head and put her hand on his shoulder. “No I was just joking, I’m just texting a friend.”

He grabbed his chest, sighing in relief. “Oh man, at first I thought you were actually taking Rachel’s advice on leaving Tom.”

“Hmmm I wouldn’t call it advice, it’s more like a order.”

“Heh pretty much yeah.”

The two sat in silence for a moment before the sound of Tom grunting and the scraping of a chair caught their attention.

He continued to pull the heavy lawn chair over, before simply picking it up and setting it down next to them.

He sat down, wiping his “Whew! It’s starting to get more busy in here, I had to almost fight someone to get this chair.”

Maddie made a face as she put her arm around Sonic, who was still leaning against her. “Who was fighting you for the chair?”

“Mrs. Tailor.”

Sonic let out a gasp. “You tried to fight Flower Power lady?”

“Yeah and she did not take well.” He sheepishly said as he motioned his eyes over to where she was.

She was glaring straight at him at the pool entrance, scowling and making a very rude hand gesture at him.

“I have a feeling we’re not going to get those petunias half priced anymore Maddie.”

She sighed. “Oh great.”

Sonic squinted at Mrs. Tailor. “What’s that thing she’s doing with her hand mean?”

“It’s a bad thing and don’t let me ever catch and hear you doing that.” Tom replied sternly, pointing a finger at him.

Sonic held up his hands. “Ok, ok I won’t.”

“Good.”

Maddie’s phone chimed, she got up as she checked it.

“I got to take this, don’t upset anyone else’s while I’m gone!” She jogged towards the entrance, speaking to whoever was on the other line.

Tom leaned over towards Sonic, who was looking through the lunch bag. “You noticed that she’s been in the phone a lot today?”

“Yeah, I think she’s talking to Rachel or something.” He said nonchalantly as he put the bag down and stretched his arms.

“Yeah?”

“Either that or it’s her boyfriend Arnold.”

“Uh hu- wait Arnold?”

“Yeah Arnold Schwarzenegger, she really has her eyes on him.”

“…..Sonic that’s not funny.”

“I know, I thought she would be into to Tom Cruise.”

“Why on earth would she be into Tom Cruise?”

“Have you SEEN the way that guy runs? Now that’s a man.”

Tom scoffed, getting annoyed. “Wha- compared to who?”

Sonic looked Tom up and down. “Compared to you I guess.”

“You little-.”

“I thought I told you guys not to upset anyone?” Maddie came over to them, hands on her hips.

Sonic pointed a finger at Tom. “He thinks that you don’t love him anymore.”

Tom swatted Sonic’s finger away. “No, no that’s not what I meant.”

Maddie raised her eyebrow, amused.

“Maddie, who would you prefer, me or Tom Cruise?.”

“Tom Cruise.” She replied with no hesitation.

Sonic brust into laughter, nearly falling off the chair. Tom’s mouth gaped open, putting his hand on his chest dramatically. “Maddie…why?”

“That chizzled look he has on his face everytime he smiles at people, it’s amazing.”

“What about when I would smile?”

“That’s your saving grace, it’s actually better than his.”

“Oh what a relief.”

“Ew, if you two are down flirting, can we please go in th-.”

“Hey Sonic!”

Sonic stopped as he heard his name being called, the voice sounding very familiar.

He looked up at Maddie, who was glancing at him smiling. “Maddie am I losing it or did that sound like-.”

“Sonic! Over here!”

He turned to where the voice came from and saw someone waving to them, a young girl who has wearing her hair in small, beaded braids running towards them through the grass.

“Jojo!?”

He got off the chair and zoomed over to her, stopping right in front of her and sliding right into a hug.

Jojo giggles as she put down her bag and hugs him back tightly, lifting him slightly off the ground.

She released him as she grabbed her bag off the ground and walked next to him.

“Oh man I didn’t know you were coming to visit!”

“Yeah, mom and aunt Maddie made sure I couldn’t tell you anything.”

“What? Geez everyone’s just keeping stuff from me, so your mom is here too?”

“Yeah, she’s in the car making sure that her makeup looks good.”

“….Why is she wearing makeup when she’s going swimming?”

“She tells me that the ‘most worthy’ guys always come to the pool to check out the women.”

He stopped and looked up at her with disgust. “What?”

“I don’t know either.” She glanced back, shrugging her shoulders. Sonic looked back and saw her through the car window, applying said lipstick.

“I don’t understand our family.”

“Neither do I, but I’m glad that you’re here though, it’s nice to have a kid around my age in this family, who’s also not a crazy adult.” She smiled as she grabbed his hand.

He grinned, giving her hand a squeeze. “Heh Yeah, me too Jo.”

=======

“Ok I’m pretty sure this jacket is trying to suffocate me.” Sonic tried to adjust his mini life jacket, only to end up nearly choking himself.

“Ok, here let me help.” Tom adjusts his jacket, putting pressure off his back quills. “And here are your floaties.”

“Is this really necessary?” He winced as Tom shoves the floaties on his arms. “They’re really tight.”

“Well yeah dude, since you never swam before you need to train yourself to swim with it so you can eventually swim without them.”

“Why can’t I just that donut tube thingy like Jojo’s?” He motions over to her, who was using said tube spin fast and around in a circle.

“Because of your extravagant spikey hairstyle, it would poke holes all over it beyond return.”

“Right I see your point there.”

Maddie was over near the chairs, putting away her clothes while talking to Rachel, who once in a while would shoot a nasty look at Tom.

Clapping his hands together, Tom took a running stance. “Alright people stand back, I’m about to make a major tidal wave!”

Tom jumped and made a cannonball into the water, Jojo letting out a scream as she covered her head from the incoming splash. Tom broke the surface, wiping his hair and water from his face.

“Whoo! Yeah! How about that Maddie? Can Tom Cruise do that?”

Maddie looked over at Tom as she led Sonic towards the edge of the pool. “Yes Tom, he can do a cannonball just like that.”

“Dang it, can you believe this Jojo?”

“Uncle Tommy, even **I** can do a cannonball like that.”

“Jojo! You’re supposed to be on my side!” He responded with splashing water at her, who retaliated by grabbing a nearby pool noodle and started whacking him in the head with it.

“Get him Jojo! Let him have it! Show him no mercy!” Rachel applauded her daughter from her seat, pulling out her phone to record it.

“Oh come Rach, I know we have a rivalry but using your own daughter to- Ow! Wha- where’d you get two of them!?”

Meanwhile, Maddie was into the water until it went up to her waist, turning around she held out her hand to Sonic, who was now barefoot and placed his shoes near the lawn chair. “Ok it’s going to be pretty cold at first so it’s best if you just come in quickly.”

“Maddie, You know that’s my specialty.” He said smugly as he got into a running stance.

Maddie’s face drops. “Wait Sonic that’s not what i-.” Her voice fell to deaf ears as he jumped over her and dove into the cold water.

He burst through the water, coughing and screaming from the shock of the cold. _“OH MY GOD! IT’S FREEZING! MAD- MADDIE HELP!”_

Quickly rushing over to him, she lifts him up and smacks her hand against his back, helping him get rid of the water he inhaled.

Panting and coughing, he wipes the water from his stinging eyes. “Oh man.”

“I tried to warn you but..”

“Yeah…that wa-, that was my bad.”

Hearing Sonic’s screams, Tom and Jojo swam over towards them.

Tom looks at Sonic, still rubbing his eyes. “What happened?”

“He dove in too soon and got the penalty for it.” She rubbed his back as he shook his head to get the water out of his ears.

Jojo swims closer to him. “I did the same thing too when I was learning how to swim.”

“Really?” His voice shaking slightly due to his shivering.

“Yeah, but the one thing I always do when I swim is try to keep my shoulders under the water.”

Maddie lowered him back into the water, still having a hold on him. “I don’t think I can keep them under the water due to this jacket.”

“Oh you just splash some water on it if you can’t.” She demonstrates by pouring water on her shoulders.

Sonic copies her, shivering slightly.

Tom takes Sonic’s hand and brings him further out, he feels the hedgehog grip his hand tighter.

“You’re good buddy, I’ve got you.”

“Hmm-mmm.”

Getting to a empty space, Tom picked him up in his arms bridal style, earning a surprised yelp from him.

“Ok, so we’re just gonna try floating first so we don’t have to keep carrying you the whole time.”

“Ok…”

“Ok here we go.” He slowly lowered him into the water, his hands underneath his back and legs.

“Oooh god it’s still freezing.” He shivered with a face of discomfort.

“Yeah I know, this is why we’re practicing this first.”

He let him float for a few seconds before removing his hands entirely, the teen didn’t notice as he kept looking up at the sky.

“How you feeling?”

“Um good, I can barely hear your voice due to the water in my ears.” He says a little louder than he realizes.

“Good, that’s good.” He helped Sonic float upright, motioning Jojo over to them.

“So for this next part, I’m gonna use Jojo as an example. Jojo, could you show Sonic how you swim without the tube?”

“Sure!” She placed the tube on the cement and started to swim around the two.

“Now see how she’s using her arms with her legs to make her move while also staying afloat?”

“Yeah.”

“You have to find a balance with that flow so you can swim better, you might swim like Jo or completely different, it takes practice.”

“Whatever you say donut lord.” He faked saluted him.

Tom placed him forward in the water, both hands underneath his stomach as he practiced moving his arms and legs slowly.

“You don’t have to move them that slowly, you can move them faster.”

“Ok then.” He replies with a sly grin. He then moves his limbs like a motorboat, splashing Tom’s face in the process.

“Sonic! I didn’t mean that fast!”

He slowed them down, looking back at him. “Oh you weren’t being specific.”

“I’m pretty sure that was **very** specific.” He shook the water from his face.

Tom saw Maddie get back in the pool, giving him an idea.

“Let’s try something with motivation, see if you can get to Maddie over by the steps.”

Sonic looks to where Maddie was standing, who was letting her shoulders soak in the water.

“She’s pretty far from us, I can barely move from this spot as it is.”

“You gotta remember to cup your hands when you wade through the water and keep kicking your legs so you can keep up the momentum.”

The teen looked up at him, uncertainty coming onto his face.

“Hey compared to what you’ve fought through before you came to us, this is going to be a synch for you.”

“I know but…” His voice gets quiet as he avoids Tom’s glance.

“Sonic?” He looks at Jojo.

She grabs his shoulder firmly. “I believe in you.”

“Really?”

“Definitely.” She grinned holding her fist out.

Smiling, Sonic bumped her fist with his and took a deep breath, looking ahead towards Maddie. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Cupping his hands, he paddled and kicked his legs towards Maddie.

Maddie, noticing him swimming at her went to move closer to him.

“No! Don’t move! I want to see if I can swim to you!” He panted as he kept up his pace.

Nodding, she waded in place as Sonic paddled.

’ _Geez this would be easier if i paddled even faster.’_

Giving the idea a try he moved his arms and legs faster, gaining some momentum but not for long.

“ *pant* Why *pant* isn’t this *pant* working?”

Maddie yelled from across the pool. “You gotta move slowly since you weigh less in the water, the slower you go, the farther you get!”

“What? That makes no sense!”

“That’s how science is sometimes.”

“Well science needs to chill out.” He murmured to himself.

He was more than halfway there when he was starting to feel his arms tire out. Tom and Jojo cheered him on from other end.

“Come on Sonic! you’re almost there!” “Go Sonic go!”

Now being a foot away from him, Maddie held out her arms towards him. “C'mon sweetie you’re almost there!”

With determination, he kicked his legs and moved his arms with one final push right into her arms.

Maddie snatched him up and spun him around in a hug. “Alright! Look at you! You swam so far!”

Still panting, he glanced back to where Tom and Jojo were, currently cheering at his successful attempt.

“Oh…yeah…..that’s….great.” he panted as his head unconsciously fell on Maddie’s shoulder.

Tom made his way over to them. “Oh man, that took alot out of him huh?”

“Hmm yeah, but he made it though didn’t you?” She praised him, bouncing him in her arms.

“Yeah…but that was alot….even for me.” He weakly raised his arm, only let it fall to his side. “It feels like I ran for a year straight.”

“Yeah swimming will do that to you, especially if you’re not used to it.” He ruffled Sonic’s head before calling to Jojo.

“Time for a break Jo! It’s lunchtime!”

“Ok!” Jojo got out and went over to get her towel, which was right near her mother who was trying to flirt with an uninterested lifeguard.

“I better save that guy from Rachel.” Tom grunted as he got out and walked over towards the girls.

Maddie made her way towards the steps leading out the pool, still carrying Sonic in her arms.

She shook him slightly. “Hey try to stay awake for a little longer, I packed your favorite for lunch.” She spoke softly.

Sonic lifted his head slowly. “Hot dogs?”

“With some homemade jalapeno sauce, probably can’t get that from Mrs. Tailor anymore either.”

“Maddie…you are an angel sent from above.” He stretched his arms.

“Aw thank you, make sure you tell Tom that you think that, I could get so much compliments from him for at least a month.”

“Haha, alright you got a deal.”


End file.
